Mike Tress

Elimelech Gavriel "Mike" Tress (born in 1909 died July 9 , 1967) was the leader of Agudath Israel of America for many years during the 1900s. He changed it from a small group to a major organization almost singlehandedly. He even sold his business to help pay for the needs of the organization. His life and work are the subject of a bestselling book, They Called Him Mike , by Jonathan Rosenblum, Artscroll Publications. He is widely known for saving thousands of Jews during the holocaust. v t e

Elimelech Gavriel "Mike" Tress (1909 – July 9, 1967) was the national president of Agudath Israel of America from the 1940s until his death. He was a major figure in the movement's expansion and its chief lay leader until his death.

Elimelech Gavriel "Mike" Tress (1909 – July 9, 1967) was a Jewish American who served as the national president of Agudath Israel of America from the 1940s until his death. He was a major figure in the movement's expansion and its chief lay leader until his death. Tress was the son of an immigrant and born in the United States . Without training to become a rabbi, he was later titled as 'Reb Elimelech' due to his influential work. He was also known by his nickname "Mike". Before and during the Second World War , he founded various youth organizations to counteract assimilation . Tress was President of Agudath Israel of America for many years, helping the Union to become one of the greatest political, communal, and cultural representations of the orthodoxy of its time in the United States. He led the organization until his death, his successor became Moshe Sherer . To finance the Agudath Israel and help Jews escape from Europe, he gave up his business as a businessman and used his fortune to do so. Tress rescued many European Jews at the time of Holocaust through his engagement. His biographer is the journalist and spokesperson Jonathan Rosenblum , whose work is based in part on research by historian David Kranzler . In his honor, the Agudath Israel awards the Reb Elimelech Tress Memorial Award.

Elimelech Gavriel " Mike " Tress (1909-July 9, 1967-July 9) was a Jewish American who served as the national president of Agudath Israel of America from the 1940s until his death. He was a major figure in the movement's expansion and its chief lay leader. Tress was the son of an immigrant and born in the United States . Without training to become a rabbi, he was later titled "Reb Elimelech" due to his influential work and also known by his nickname "Mike". Before and during the Second World War , he founded various youth organizations to counteract assimilation . Tress was President of Agudath Israel of America for many years, helping the Union to become one of the greatest political, communal, and cultural representations of the Orthodoxy of its time in the United States. He led the organization until his death; his successor became Moshe Sherer . To finance Agudath Israel and help Jews escape from Europe, he gave up his career as a businessman and used his fortune to do so. Tress rescued many European Jews at the time of the Holocaust through his engagement. His biographer is the journalist and spokesperson Jonathan Rosenblum , whose work is based in part on research by historian David Kranzler .